Fence-clamp.



B. F. STEUABT. FENCE CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 18, 1910.

Patented Aug. 30, 1910.

J J J J w fi H, J y y fi Q v J 5 J d 22 if J BL 3 3 m BENJAMIN F. STEUART, OF ANDALUSIA, ALABAMA.

FENCE-CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 30, 1910.

Application filed February 18, 1910. Serial No. 544,645.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. STEUART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Andalusia, in the county of Covington and State of Alabama, have invented a new and useful Fence-Clamp, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clamps for holding fence fabrics while being stretched and one of the objects of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is simple in construction and which can bereadily applied to the fence fabric, simple means be ing utilized whereby an eflicient clamping action of the device can be obtained.

Another object is to provide a clamp which will not be affected by climatic conditions.

A still further object is to provide a fence clamp the members of which are held against relative longitudinal movement'so that the fence fabric will not be distorted during the stretching operation.

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings,Figure 1 is a side elevation of a clamp constituting the present invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is an end view of the clamp. Fig. 4 is a section on line A-B of Fig. 1.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 and 2 designate the two clamping members or bars, each being preferably rectangular in transverse section and the bar 1 being provided upon its working face with spaced longitudinally extended cleats 3 constituting gripping members while the bar 2 is provided upon its working face with a central longitudinally extending cleat & constituting a gripping member, the said cleat 4 being arranged to project between the cleats 3.

The inner faces of the two bars 1 and 2 are beveled at their lower ends, as shown at 5, and extending around these bars adjacent said beveled faces is a substantially rectangular loop 6 mounted loosely within holding staples or eyes 7 outstanding from the opposed outer faces of the bars 1 and 2. The loop is capable of considerable movement in a longitudinal direction within these staples and a. wedge 8 is insertible between the staples on the bar 2 and between said bar and the loop so as to draw the lower end portions of the bars tightly together. This wedge has a longitudinal slot 9 therein and into which projects a guide lug 10, there being an outstanding ear 11 at the upper end of the wedge whereby the same can be conveniently manipulated.

Bolts 12 extend transversely through the bar adjacent the outer face thereof and a link 13 is pivotally mounted on each end portion of each of the bolts 12, the said links being held against lateral displacement relative to the bar 1 by means of nuts 14 or the like arranged upon the bolts. The links 13 are slightly longer than the combined widths of the two bars 1 and 2 and a cross pin or bolt 15 is slidably mounted in each pair of links 13 and carries an eccentric 16 from which extends a handle 17 The pin or bolt 15 to which the upper eccentric 16 is connected is preferably held within its links 13 by nuts 18 or the like. The other pins or bolts carried by the eccentrics, however, project loosely into the links and can be readily disconnected therefrom simply by swinging the links laterally off of the pins, it being understood that the links are sufficiently loose upon the bolts 12 to permit this lateral swinging movement.

In using the device herein described the upper eccentric 16 is turned so as to become disengaged from the bar 2 and the links 13 to which the eccentric is connected can then be swung upwardly above the ends of the two bars. The other eccentrics can then be loosened and the links shifted laterally off the ends of the pins 15 after which the wedge 8 can be forced upwardly so as to loosen the loop 6. The two bars 1 and 2 are thus free to swing apart with the loop 6 constituting the hinge thereof, this swing ing movement being permitted by the beveled lower end of the bars. The said bars are then placed at opposite sides of the fence fabric so as to extend transversely thereof and are then. folded together to bring the cleats 2 and 3 into frictional engagement with the fabric. The upper links 13 are swung into position across the sides of the bars and the eccentric connected to them is then rotated so as to .pull upon the links and draw the two bars 1 and 2 together at their upper ends. The wedge 8 is then forced longitudinally into the loop 6 and thus serves to draw the lower ends of the bars tightly together. In order to prevent the bars from bulging apart at intermediate points, the intermediate links 13 are placed upon the projecting ends of the intermediate pins 15 and theeccentrics of said pins are then turned so as to pull upon the links and clamp the bars tightly upon the fabric. I

Obviously the foregoing operation can be repeated whenever it is desired to replace the clamping bars at any other point along the fabricto be stretched. It is of course to be understood that any suitable stretching means may be connected to the bars. The wedge can be actuated by means of the foot, the car 11 constituting a sufficient rest to receive the weight of the foot in driving the wedge into the loop 6.

As shown in the drawings all of the eccentrics with the exception of the upper one are j ournaled upon the bar 2, there being staples or eyes 19 extending from said bar and in which the eccentrics are mounted.

Obviously various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the in vention as defined in the appended claims.

Vhat is claimed is 1. A. device of the class described including clamping bars, means pivotally engaging one end portion of each of the bars and non-detachably connected to both bars for binding said bars together, links slidably and pivotally connected to one of the bars an eccentric mounted for rotation on the other bar, and means projecting into slots in the links for detachably connecting the links to the eccentrics.

2. A device of the class described consisting of clamping bars, links pivotally connected to one of the bars, eccentricsmounted for rotation upon the other bar, and means extending from each eccentric for detachably engaging the adjoining links.

3. A device of the class described includlng clamping bars, links pivotally connected to one ofthe bars and arranged to swing, and eccentrics journaled upon the other bar, eccentrically disposed pins extending from and movable with said eccentrics and detachably engaging the links, and means for actuating the eccentrics.

4. A device of the class described including clamping bars, non -detachable means loosely engaging and extending around the bars at one end, wedging means insertible between one of the bars and said embracing means, links pivotally connected to one of the bars, said links being arranged to turn, an eccentric loosely connected to one pair of links and movable therewith above the bars, eccentrics journa-led upon one of the bars, and means extending from said journaled eccentrics for detachably engaging the adjoining links.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMIN F. STEUART.

Witnesses A. J. JONES, M. C. GANr'r. 

